Method and machine for trimming top lifts



Oct. 13,1931; M, w- HQWARD 1,826,935

METHOD AND .MACHINE FOR TRIMMING TOP LIFTS Filed Jan. 14, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 E f jzgl. J f

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METHOD AND MACHINE FOR TRIMMING TOP LIFTS Filed Jan. 14, 1928 2 'sheets-sheet 2 Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MERTON'W. HOWARD, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR- TO 'HOWARD- DEVELOP- MENT COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF LASSACHUSETTS METHOD AND MACHINE FOR TRIMMING T'OIP LIFTS Application filed January 14, 1928. Serial No. 246,734.

This invention relates to machines for trimthe toplift ming the breast edges of top lifts of shoe heels, such as Cuban heels.

The top lift is usually made of leather or similar material and is secured in any suitable manner to the wooden heel with its untrimmed breast edge projecting somewhat beyond the breast of the heel. In finishing the heel it is necessary to trim the lift to conform with the shape ofthe breast of the heel. Heretofore, a knife or cutter acting against a cutting block was employed for this purpose. By this practice, Athe cutter was wedged between the lift and the partially severed chip and furthermovement of the cutter caused the partially severed chip to exert strain upon the body of the lift tending to tear the grain and leave an irregular edge instead of shaving the lift cleanly.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this diiiiculty and provide a machine in which the partially severed chip may be moved freely out of the path of the knife e and be left unsupported thereby minimizing danger of tearing the grain of the lift. With this in view a plate is provided terminating in a shearing edge cooperating with the trimming knife, the knife and plate being moved relatively to trim the lift, and the chip, or portion trimmed off, being left unsupported, thereby avoiding tearing of the grain and insuring a clean cut edge.

It is desirable that the surface of the trimmed and finished breast edge of the top- 5 lift be, as nearly as possible, a smooth continuation of the surface of the breast of the heel proper without any abrupt break, in the nature of either an offset or an angle, at the line of joint between the heel and toplift. In toplift breast trimming machines as heretofore constructed and arranged, the heels with their attached top-lifts have been supported for the action of the knife by the cutting block and positioned with relation to the path of movement of theknife by said block and by suitable gauges or other positioning devices associated therewith. In adapting such machines for heels of differentstyles and sizes, particularly where .variations in the angle 'i3 formed by the breast with the outer face of were involved, it was necessary to replace the cutting block by one of different shape, or to adjust its position, in order to support the heel with its breast surface as nearly as possible coincident with the surface generated by the relative movement of the knife edge and work. This mode of control is slow and inconvenient, requiring frequent readjustments, is indirect, and is at best approximate, depending upon the capacity of the parts for accurate adjustment and the human element involved in making the adjustments. In accordance with the present invention the desired result is accomplished positively and directly, Without adjustment and irrespective of the size and shape of the heel, by holding the breast of the heel against the face of the knife during the cutting operation, and permitting the face of the toplift to assume whatever position may be required by its angular relation to the heel breast, so that as the lmife edge passes from the heel breast surface through the toplift it will cut the latter along a surface which is a smooth continuation of the former. This is made possible by providing asupportingplate which terminates in an edge lying substantially in the surface generated by the relative movement of the knife edge and work, leaving the projecting portion of the toplift unsupported, so that the face of said toplift can be supported solely by said edge and turned thereabout into whatever angular position may be necessary in order to position the breast of the heel against the face of the knife, and held in this position during the cutting operation. In machines employing a cutting block, the face of the toplift must lie flat on the block during the cutting operation.

Before explaining the invention in detail it is pointed out that the embodiment herein described is merely by way of illustration and that it is not intended to limit the invention thereby except as pointed out by the appended claims.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,.in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodyinv the invention;

ll`ig. 2 is an end elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a ctional view taken upon the line 3%, Fig 2.

4 is a detail elevational view showing the method of guiding the heel during the trimming operation by positioning the breast thereofagainst the breasting knife; and

vF ig. 5 is a similar detail view showing the action of the cooperating brcasting knife and shearin edge.

As il ustrated, the machine comprises a base or frame adapted to rest upon a suitable sup ort, such as a table 11, to which it is secure' .in any suitable manner, as by bolts 12. The frame 10 is provided with a projection 14 to which a trimming knife l5 is secured by clamps 16 engaging the knife and frnne and secured to the latter by bolts 17. The surface ofthe knife is shaped to conform to the surface of the breast of the heel. The upper edges'of the knife 15 and projection 14 o the frame are covered by a plate 20 secured to the frame by bolts 21.

In accordance with the invention the heel lift/ma be positioned with the edge to be trimme oi unsupported between the edge of the knife 15 and a shearing edge cooperating with said knife, and, preferably, with the breast rof *the heel engaging the similarly sl'i ed body 0f the knife. For this purpose, as illustrated, a slide is provided adapted t0 reciprocate in the slideway 2G in the frame ofthe machine. As shown, the slide 25 is ofnylindrical form and is prevented from turning in the Way 26 by a guide pin 27 securedin the upper lateral projection 28 of the slide and guided in an opening 29 in the frame of the machine. A plate is secured to the lateral projection 28 of the slide 25 by a bolt 37 passing through a counter-bored oipeninfr 38 in the plate 35 and threaded in t e sli e. A plate 32 having a shearing edge 33 is mounted upon the plate 35 and, preferably, is in the form of a detachable and adjustable slide guided in Ways 34 in the plate 35. 'Ille plate or slide 32 is provided with an o' nin 40 surrounding the head of the bolt 3 so t at the slide may be adjusted readily and 'clamped with its shearing edge 33 positioneel to cooperate `with the knife 15 by a clamp 42 engaging the slide 32 and plate 35 amd secured to the latter by a` bolt The lower end of the slide 25 is provided Within threaded hole 45 to receive a bolt with a bifucatedhead in which a connecting rod membenll is pivotally secured by a pin 4T. The member 46fis connected to the connect-ing rod member 48 by a turn buckle 49, whereby the, of the connecting rod as a whole comprising the connecting rod members 46 and 48 and-turn buckle 49 may be adjusted. The end of the connecting rod member 48 is provided with ar bearing or journal 50 surrounding an eccentric 5l upon a shaft which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 53 formed in webs 54 depending from the frame l0, the connecting rod member 43 being held upon the eccentric v5l by a screw 55 in the eccentric having a head engagingr the edge of the bearinY 5t).

In the operation of the machine, the heel blank lV, to which a lift 56 has been secured in the usual manner, is positioned in the niuchine With the breast of the heel engaging the surface of the knife 15 and the lift 5G resting against and supported bythe shearing edge of the plate during the trimming operation. As the shaft rotated, the eccentric 51 thereon causes the slide 25, through the parts connected therewith, to reciprocate relative to the knife 15 while the heel breast is held in engagement with the latter, thereby causing the knife to pass through the portion of the lift projecting beyond the breast of the heel to trim the same on a` surface which is a smooth and accurate continuation of the surface of the breast.

In accordance with the invention the body of the lift may rest against the plate 39 but this is not necessary inasmuch as the heel ll' may be positioned and guided by placing the breastV of the heel against the body of the knife 15 illustrated in Fig. 4) and while thus positioned permitting the plate 32 to move upward and bring the shearing edge 33 of the plato 32 into engagement with the lift.

Thus, when using the machine of the inven- -Y tion to trinl the top lifts of heels of different types and. sizes 1t unnecessary to replace the plate 32 by one which .vfll engage the bod of the lift durinc' the trimmiin'r opera- ?1 l tion. ksthriknife p: :ses ihrouih the lift.

the portion to he trimmed oil' will tend to turn about the shearing edge 33 (as illustrated in Fig. 5) and fall off, and inasmuch as this portion is unsupjiorted there will be no tendency for it to Wedge against the knife and tear the edge of the lift as has been common heretofore in machines of this type.

The connectingl rod may be adjusted by means of the turn buckle 49 to vary the limits of movement of the plate 32 and thereby control theposition of the movable member to compensate for knife wear or for different thicknesses of toplift. lly constructing the plate 32 as a detachable and adjustable slide it may be removed and replaced bv slides appropriatafor ther type of heel and lift being trimmed and the shearing edge may be accurately adjusted to cooperate with the knife l5. although no adjustment necessary to compensate for variations in angle between the heel breast and toplift face. It will be understood that while in the embodiment of the invention illustrated the knife held stationaryand .the plate 32 supports the work and is reciprocated, nevertheless, these arvon :of

rangen'ients may be reversed within the spirit of the invention.

That I claim is:

l. A machine for trimming off the projecting breast edges of toplifts attached to shoe heels, said machine comprising, in combination, a plate terminating in a shearing edge against which the topli 't may rest during the trimming operation with the portion to be trimmed off projecting beyond said edge, cutting means cooperating with said shearing' edge and engaging the previously formed breast of said heel to locate the toplift and determine the path of relative movement of the cutting means and work,.and means for relatively moving said cutting means and plate.

2. In a top lift trimming machine, in combination, a fram-e, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame having an eccentric, a slide, a plate on said slideterminating in a shearing edge against which the lift may rest, an adjustable connecting rod between said slide and eccentric for controlling the limits of travel of said plate, and a knife on said frame positioned to cooperate with said shearing edge to trim the lift as said shaft is rotated.

tion to be trimmed oft', leaving said portion unsupported, and cutting said toplift through from the opposite face.

7. The hereindescribed method of trimming attached toplifts which includes supporting the exposed face of the toplift at that side only of the line of cut opposite the portion to be trimmed olf and substantially throughout the length of said line, leaving said portion unsupported, and cutting said toplift through from the opposite face by a single cutting operation directed toward the support.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

MERTON W. HOWARD.

3. In atop lift trimming machine, in combination, a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame having an eccentric, a slide, an adjustable plate on said slide terminating in a shearing edge against which the lift may rest, an adjustable connecting rod between said slide and eccentric to control the limits of travel of said plate, and a knife on said frame positioned to cooperate with said shearing edge to trim the lift as said shaft is rotated.

Il. The method of trimming the breast edge of a toplift attached to a shoe heel which includes angularly positioning the breast of a heel against the similarly shaped body of a knife with the projecting edge of the lift between the edge of the knife and a cooperating shearing edge, and relatively moving said knife and shearing edge while holding said heel breast against said knife to determine the path of relative movement of the knife and Work.

5. The herein described method of trimming the breast edge of a toplift attached to a shoe heel which includes positioning the breast of a heel against the similarly shaped body of a knife, supporting the outer face of the toplift along the line of cut leaving the portion to be trimmed oft unsupported, and relatively moving the knife and support to cut the toplift through from its face adjacent the heel while holding said heel breast against said knife to determine the path of relative movement of the knife and work.

6. rlhe hereindescribed method of trim-V ming attached toplifts which includes supporting theexposed face of the toplift at that f side only ofthe line of cut opposite the por- 

